When KVIL radio station`s Jody Dean learned that Carswell Air Force Base was on Defense Secretary Dick Cheney`s hit list, he penned a song about it-a song that enthusiastic listeners say should be on a different kind of list of hits.
The lyrics to ”Air Force Bases” are sung to the tune of Garth Brooks`
eminently danceable hit ”Friends in Low Places.” Dean`s version made its debut on KVIL-FM 103.7 in late April, and requests for air play are coming thick and fast.
Dean, KVIL`s morning show producer, grew up watching planes take off and land at Carswell in Ft. Worth. His 4-year-old son, Nolan, does the same. ”His first word was `plane,` ” said Dean, 31.
Dean poured out his indignation to the tune of Brooks` song, including references to cuts at General Dynamics, the V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft, former House Speaker Jim Wright of Ft. Worth and Sen. Phil Gramm of Texas.
He retreated to his garage-which doubles as his recording studio-and put together keyboard, drums and a hired guitarist, rushing the result to a musical friend in Denver, who recorded the lead vocal.
”I wrote it Tuesday, and he had it finished and back to us by Thursday,” Dean said. ”We had the sales staff and some production and on-air staff sing the chorus. I`m on there, too, but I`m not much of a singer.”
Here`s the first verse and chorus:
Blame it all on the brass
They ran short of cash
And gave the bad news to GD.
And the V-22
It just wouldn`t do
But we thought that`s all there would be.
But they weren`t quite through
Now what will we do?
They`re shuttin` old Carswell on down.
It was dollars and cents,
But for Cheney`s defense
He`d better not come to this town.
(CHORUS:)
`Cuz they`re shuttin` down the
Air Force bases
Where the jet engines roar over all of the places
They park B-52s
And we got the blues.
Now I`m not sure how to replace it,
And it looks like we`ll all just have to face it,
`Cuz they`re shuttin` down the Air Force bases.
